'XX Swearing Scandal' Two Members of the Broadcast Ethics Committee Dismissed... Only One Opposition Figure Remains

by Moon Hyewon

Published 17 Jan.2024 13:00(KST)

Updated 20 Mar.2024 14:20(KST)

Two New Members of the 방심위원 to Be Appointed as Early as the 18th

President Yoon Suk-yeol approved the dismissal recommendation for Broadcasting and Communications Deliberation Committee (BCDC) members Kim Yoo-jin and Ok Si-chan on the 17th, leaving only five members out of the nine-member committee. The current composition is four members recommended by the ruling party (Ryu Hee-rim, Hwang Seong-wook, Kim Woo-seok, Heo Yeon-hoe) and one member recommended by the opposition party (Yoon Sung-ok), creating a 4-to-1 ratio.

'XX Swearing Scandal' Two Members of the Broadcast Ethics Committee Dismissed... Only One Opposition Figure Remains

According to the Presidential Office and the BCDC on the 17th, President Yoon approved the dismissal proposals for the two committee members. As a result, two seats that the president can recommend are now vacant. Earlier, on the 12th, the BCDC passed a dismissal recommendation citing criminal assault and defamation charges under the Criminal Act, obstruction of deliberation duties and breach of duty of sincerity, damage to the authority, dignity, and credibility of the BCDC, and violation of confidentiality obligations.

Commissioner Ok’s main reason for dismissal was the violent behavior and defamation that occurred during the first regular meeting of the BCDC’s broadcasting deliberation subcommittee held at 10 a.m. on the 9th. Commissioner Ok threw documents at BCDC Chairperson Ryu Hee-rim, used abusive language, and left the meeting room. During this incident, Commissioner Ok also caused controversy by saying abusive remarks such as “XX, are you the chairperson too?”

Commissioner Kim’s issue was leaking meeting agenda items to the media in advance, violating confidentiality. On the 3rd, Kim and Ok held an impromptu press conference within the BCDC premises and distributed some agenda items from the BCDC’s regular meeting on the 8th without authorization, violating the confidentiality obligations stipulated by law. In fact, Article 27 of the Act on the Establishment and Operation of the Broadcasting and Communications Deliberation Committee regulates the integrity and confidentiality obligations of committee members.

Both commissioners were opposition figures appointed during the Moon Jae-in administration by presidential recommendation, and their successors will be appointed by President Yoon Suk-yeol. Once President Yoon appoints the two successor commissioners, the BCDC is expected to operate with six members recommended by the ruling party and one by the opposition party out of the total nine seats for the time being.

President Yoon is expected to appoint the two successor commissioners as early as the 18th. The appointment notifications will be delivered to the BCDC through the Ministry of Personnel Management and other relevant agencies.

Subsequently, if the opposition candidates currently pending at the Presidential Office?Hwang Yeol-heon, former Secretary to National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun, and Choi Sun-young, professor at Yonsei University Graduate School of Communication?are additionally appointed, the BCDC’s ruling-opposition ratio is expected to normalize to 6-to-3. Earlier, the Democratic Party recommended these two candidates as new commissioners to replace former BCDC Vice Chair Lee Kwang-bok and former commissioner Jung Min-young, who were dismissed in August and September last year, respectively.

However, Professor Choi’s final appointment is on hold due to her previous position as a non-standing director at the Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation (KOBACO). Article 19 of the Act on the Establishment of the Korea Communications Commission stipulates disqualification for committee members who are engaged in broadcasting or telecommunications-related businesses or have been engaged in such businesses within three years prior to appointment.

[Rebuttal Report] ‘XX Abusive Language Scandal’ Leads to Dismissal of Two BCDC Members…Only One Opposition Member Remains

On January 17, our newspaper reported on the internet IT and integrated pages under the headline <‘XX Abusive Language Scandal’ Leads to Dismissal of Two BCDC Members…Only One Opposition Member Remains>, stating that Choi Sun-young, a recommended BCDC member, "has her final appointment on hold due to her previous position as a non-standing director at the Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation (KOBACO). Article 19 of the Act on the Establishment of the Korea Communications Commission stipulates disqualification for committee members who are engaged in broadcasting or telecommunications-related businesses or have been engaged in such businesses within three years prior to appointment."

In response, Professor Choi stated, "The disqualification criteria for BCDC members stipulated in the Act on the Establishment of the Korea Communications Commission and the Presidential Decree ‘Enforcement Decree of the Korea Communications Commission Act’ apply to those who have been employed within three years prior to appointment by terrestrial broadcasters, comprehensive programming channels, satellite broadcasters, relay cable broadcasting, music cable broadcasting, electronic display broadcasting businesses, transmission network businesses, etc. Since the Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation (KOBACO), a public institution acting as an advertising sales agency for terrestrial broadcasters, is not considered a broadcasting business, my previous position as a non-standing director at KOBACO is not a disqualification for the Broadcasting and Communications Deliberation Committee." This report was made following mediation by the Press Arbitration Commission.